Lifetime Piling Up
by sieg124
Summary: Lucas Scott was an asshole. She was an asshole's girlfriend. Leyton based on 2x20.
1. Chapter 1

AN: So the convention in Paris has lured me back into the oth world. This story is based off of 2x20 when Nathan dreams about what would have happened if his and Lucas's lives were switched. I'm hoping to get a second update up within a few days. Enjoy.

* * *

><p>Lucas Scott was an asshole. She was an asshole's girlfriend.<p>

She'd been with him on and off for the past three years and she was really starting to wonder why. All he ever did was ditch her for his friends, play basketball, and act like a glorified jerk in the hallways. He hadn't always been like that though and she supposed some part of her was hoping the boy she once knew might return.

It seemed unlikely.

And she saw the way he was conspiring with Tim in class. The way his eyes keep darting to the back of Nathan's head as if they were planning something. She knew they were and she knew it wasn't going to be pretty. So she warned Haley, that girl that was his girlfriend or friend or whatever and once again she was reminded that she was an asshole's girlfriend.

With a sigh, she rose from her chair and moved to her record player, taking off the record that just finished and put it away. She scanned her selection before pulling out one that she hadn't listened to in forever. Lucas had bought it for her for her 15th birthday.

He had been reserved back then, and he'd given it to her with that little smirk he only used to use for her. That smirk though became a trademark for him first among the cheerleaders and then eventually the entire student body. He flashed it every chance he got and the more he did, the more she started to hate it.

"You ready?"

She looked up and saw him leaning against the doorframe. She rolled her eyes at that damn smirk that was on his face and wondered why he would think for one second that she'd want to go watch him play some stupid basketball game against his brother.

"Nope, I'm not going."

"Ah, come on Peyt. I thought we were going to work on…you know, getting back to normal."

She scoffed at him. "Okay. Trust me when I say that normal is the last thing I want with us. Because in case you haven't noticed, normal sucks with us Lucas." She looked away for a moment before adding, "And I hate it when you call me Peyt."

"Is this about Nathan?"

"No! It's about you. I'm starting to see who you really are and I may be late to that party…but better late then never."

He turned just slightly as they looked at one another, and that's when she noticed the dirt stain on the arm of his letterman jacket and she really can't believe he'd stoop so low.

"You did something to Nathan didn't you?" She nodded her head to his arm as he looked down at it. "What, your stupid kidnapping thing?"

He let out a hollow laugh and shook his head. "I thought you said this wasn't about him. Hmm."

He stared pointedly at her, but she didn't say anything. "I'll just come back when you're not so…_pms_."

She watched as he moved to her door and realized that maybe she didn't want him to come back. Maybe she's done playing this stupid game with him. With her eyes on the floor and her arms crossed she said, "Don't bother."

He stopped in his tracks and gritted out her name in an exasperated way.

"Luke, I mean it. We're done."

His eyes meet hers and for a second she could feel the hurt reflecting her way. She saw the way his jaw clenched; she saw the anger straighten out his lips. She knew he knew that she was serious this time and that she had no intention to come running back to him in a few days.

He knew she was suggesting they were over for good and for just that one second she was led to believe that he really didn't want that and he'd never pictured that happening. But then that second ended and her asshole of a boyfriend, soon to be ex-boyfriend returned.

"Your loss, _Peyt." _

And then he was gone and that record he bought for her symbolizing the beginning of their relationship spun in the background, just as well marking the end of it too.

The next day word around school was that Nathan beat Lucas. And after Lucas hadn't been a total dick, shook hands with him and said he should try out for the Ravens.

She hadn't believed any of it until Nathan himself turned up in the gym just before practice started and went off to talk with Whitey in his office.

"So what's going on with you and hotshot?" Brooke asked as they started to stretch.

"We broke up, for good."

"Right, and what happens in two days when you get back together?"

"Nothing because we're done."

It was just at that moment that Nathan, Lucas, and Whitey all stepped foot into the gym. Nathan shook the coach's hand before nodding at Lucas and leaving. Whitey blew his whistle bringing the team in and then they all scattered about for their warm-up.

Lucas who would normally come and stand by the two of them, headed towards the other side of the court near a few of the other cheerleaders. Brooke watched on amusedly as he started blatantly flirting with one of them.

"Wow, you guys really did break up," she turned to Peyton who was watching him.

"But…that's actually great timing considering there's that beach party this weekend and it'll be the perfect opportunity for you to find a new hottie that'll make you forget all about him."

"Brooke, I'm really not looking to jump into another relationship."

"Who said anything about a relationship? I'm saying this is your chance to make out with some hottie and give Lucas Scott a taste of his own medicine. I mean really Peyton, you guys just broke up and he's over there flirting his ass off."

"Brooke I'm not just going to use some guy to make him jealous because I can guarantee you it wouldn't make a difference to him. I really don't give a damn what he does so he has no reason to give a damn about me."

Peyton's tone suggested that Brooke should leave it at that so she did, calling the girls in to start their routines.

The next two hours went by quickly for both teams and soon enough Brooke was giving out orders about how they all needed to start focusing for the Sparkle Classic which was weeks away. The basketball team had already gone into the locker room by the time she dismissed them.

Peyton had drove them both to the school that morning so they walked out together and Peyton had just assumed Brooke had grabbed her bag, she realized once they reached her car though that she hadn't.

So she made her way back through the school and into the darkened gymnasium to where her bag sat on one of the bleachers. Everyone had already left, so she was a little bit surprised to hear voices as she exited the gym and threw her bag over her shoulder. Just before she turned the corner, the voices she heard were no longer voices but breathy moans followed by the distinct sound of lips on lips. She rolled her eyes thinking it was just her luck that she'd have to walk by one of the basketball players getting all hot and heavy with one of the girls on her squad.

Maybe if she walked fast enough, the couple would be too absorbed in what they were doing that they might not even notice her. The hall was already pretty dark and it wasn't likely they'd see her if she kept quiet and moved quickly. They probably wouldn't even care that much since it was just one of the basketball players and cheerleaders, and it was a known fact that both parties hooked up quite often.

She just really never considered as she rounded that corner, the basketball player to be Lucas and the cheerleader to be the one he'd been checking out all night at practice. At the sight off him pressed up against a girl who was pressed up against the wall, there was no doubt left in her mind about whether she did the right thing or not in breaking up with him.

He never cared and it seemed he never would and she no longer had any reason to care about him or them.

So she stuck to her plan, made her way down the hall as silently as possible and reached the exit completely undetected. She pushed open the door and let it slam shut behind her, effectively closing that chapter in her life that had been Lucas Scott.


	2. Chapter 2

Her name was Theresa or at least that's what he thought it was. She had long dark hair and dark eyes and she had been the first person to greet him that morning. The news of him and Peyton's break up had spread fast, and this girl had obviously been waiting for it to happen.

He had absolutely no interest in her.

But when he entered the gym for practice after school and saw Peyton standing by Brooke he got angry or upset, he wasn't quite sure what to call it. Because whenever they would 'break up' in the past, she would ignore him in a way that let him know she was pissed off. She'd glare at him in the hallways, she'd turn her back to him if she saw him coming her way, and she'd scowl if he got too close before rushing off.

Now though, now she was indifferent. She hadn't scowled at him, hadn't glared, hadn't attempted to take the empty seat in the back when he sat next to her in English. She just didn't care and that was something he wasn't used to.

And he really just wanted to get a reaction out of her. So he'd gone over to the superficial girl with the dark hair and the dark eyes and fooled her into thinking he was interested. They talked and he laughed at something that wasn't funny, and watched Peyton from his peripheral all the while.

Nothing. She didn't cast her eyes his way at all. He sighed and brushed his hand through his hair. It shouldn't matter that she wanted nothing to do with him. It wasn't like anything had changed considering they weren't the average couple. It wasn't like they were in love with each other and this would shatter them.

It wasn't any of those things and he'd be fine.

She'd be fine, probably better off and it'd all eventually be old news. He could live his life as a single guy now and do whatever he wanted with whomever he wanted without any obligations.

He was free.

But as he let that sink in throughout the rest of the practice, it suddenly didn't seem all that glamorous. And as he started to miss shot after shot, he could only wonder if she was watching.

He knew though that she wasn't.

When Whitey blew the final whistle he immediately made his way into the locker room and gathered his things. He had every intention to leave before Theresa could spot him, but then Whitey stopped him as he was making his way to his office and explained that he had made his decision and he was allowing Nathan a spot on the team. They talked it over for a few minutes and Lucas knew it'd be hard trying to accept the one person he was raised to hate, but the kid could play ball and he was just what their team needed so he promised his coach he'd do his best to help him.

By the time they finished their conversation, the locker room was completely empty and he only hoped that the one person he was trying to avoid had left too. He made his way out and started to leave when he felt an arm suddenly grab at his shirt and pull him forcefully.

He ended up hovering over Theresa as she leaned against a wall with a smirk on her face.

"Look, Theresa-" he began as he tried to move away, but she cut him off, placing a finger to his lips.

"I know you want me Lucas. Ever since we kissed at the party last year, I've had my eyes on you and only you."

His eyebrows rose. _They had kissed?_ Last year?

"So when I found out you and Peyton finally split up for good, I couldn't believe it. I mean I knew you two would never last, but I just didn't think you'd find the courage to break away from her."

His forehead wrinkled and he was about to tell her that Peyton had actually broken up with him, when he remembered that he told everyone he'd been the one to end it. It was stupid and childish, but at the time he couldn't let anyone know that he, Lucas Scott, had been dumped.

"I never really understood what you possibly saw in her in the first place. She's so distant and dark and depressing. You need someone whose fun and open," she drawled out as her hands tugged at the collar of his shirt.

At the cheesy sentiment he groaned internally, cursing Whitey for getting him stuck in this position. He moved to push her back just as she moved to pull him towards her, and her unexpected grip overpowered his. He was suddenly pressed against her and in a second he felt her lips attached to his own.

Maybe she was too caught up in it or maybe she just didn't care, but she kept her mouth glued to his unresponsive one for longer than he cared to admit. It was only when the abrupt slamming of a door caused her to jump that he found himself able to move away.

And when he looked to see what caused the noise, he could easily make out a blonde head of curls briskly hurrying off. He inhaled sharply and then his feet were moving, propelling him through that same door and towards her.

"Peyton!"

She stopped. She had been so close, so very close to a clean getaway.

She slowly turned around as he made the final few steps to reach her.

"I…that, that wasn't what it looked like."

"Sure, but even if it was it wouldn't have mattered Lucas."

"Can't we just talk about this? I mean, what I did to Nathan was stupid and pointless, but I know now. Whitey's giving him a spot on the team and I'm going to give him a chance. He's good and he'll be good for the team and I shouldn't have acted the way I did."

Peyton was silent for a moment, but then she nodded. It was surprising to hear that he wanted to help Nathan and all, but that still didn't change things between them. "I'm glad, Luke."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, but we…we can't keep doing this."

He stared at her and he shook his head. "I can change Peyton, I can-"

"No Luke, you can say whatever you want, but you can't tell me you can change when I just saw you making out with some girl not even 24 hours after we broke up. And according to the entire school, _you_ broke up with _me_ so I really don't know why you're standing here trying to fix things that you can't fix."

He stood there feeling somewhat defeated as his eyes pierced hers for what seemed like the first time in forever. They were a somber shade of green and held no joy. They were the emotions he wouldn't ever allow himself to admit when she said what she said next.

"Goodbye Lucas."

* * *

><p>The week that followed was considerably strange. After Nathan's first official practice, Lucas had told the team there was to be no hazing and they had listened. Nathan was quick to find his place as small forward and the team as a whole adjusted easily to their new addition.<p>

The two of them started working out in the morning before school. It had been awkward and deliberate at first, but they were slowly getting to know one another and Lucas was starting to wonder why he'd ever despised him so.

But then one morning, just as they were finishing up, Lucas caught his father's eye from where he had been standing just outside the entrance of the weight room and he could see the look of disdain. He could see the anger and disgust. For the first time in his life though, he really couldn't care what he thought. For the first time in his life, he became aware that his father's opinion had no room for influence on any of his own decisions. Dan who was only the assistant coach of the Ravens, could hate Nathan all he wanted, but that didn't mean Lucas was required to.

He dropped his gaze and turned back to Nathan and together they made their way to the locker room. That same day he chose to ditch his own friends and sit with Nathan's. They hadn't been exactly welcoming, but they were cool about it and he was grateful.

He discovered too, while sitting there with a bunch of guys he'd never noticed before, that the view was better than the one offered from the table he'd religiously sat at for the past couple of years. It was all encompassing and it was discreet, giving him a closer, unsuspecting view of his ex-girlfriend. He was starting to think he missed her.

Her absence left a void in his life that he didn't know how to fill.

He missed the fights, he missed her feisty attitude, and he missed the days when they'd 'get back together'. But that was selfish and that wasn't the type of relationship any decent girl would want, and as he watched Jake Jagielski take a seat across from her he knew she most definitely didn't want that.

_Hadn't_ wanted that.

Jealousy was a complete stranger to him, one that spoke in a foreign tongue and lived on another planet, in another solar system, in a different universe. When Jagielski caused her to laugh though, he was swiftly standing before that stranger on that far away planet shaking his hand and catching up with him in that alien language as if they were long lost best friends.

He couldn't explain it and he didn't want to believe it, but while he'd been as much of a pro at lying as he was at basketball, he could never lie that well to himself.

He couldn't lie about what he was feeling now as he regarded them.

He no longer thought he was missing her, he _knew. _And he knew he needed to do something about it.

So that day, right after school since he didn't have practice, he went to Deb's Den for the first time where Nathan said he'd be and stumbled upon more than just advice from an unlikely source, but a girl who'd impact his life and the lives around him unknowingly.

* * *

><p>AN: No, the girl isn't Haley. Next chapter shouldn't be as dry or short and I'll try to get it up within a few days. My portrayal of Lucas is probably a little softer than it should be, but this is really picking up right at the start of him wanting to change. Thanks for reading!<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

"Jake Jagielski? Yeah I know him. Why?" Nathan asked as he sat next to Lucas at the front of his mom's cafe.

"What do you know about him?"

"He's umm…well he's a nice guy. He helps out here at the cafe sometime and I hear he's somewhat of a musician."

"A musician?"

"Yeah, he plays guitar and sings. Why all the questions?"

"Just wondering."

Nathan opened his mouth to respond, but it was at that moment that a waitress came from the back to serve them.

"Hey Nate," she greeted with a smile. "And you are…" she trailed off as she looked at Lucas.

"This is Lucas, Lara," Nathan answered with pointed glance as Lucas studied her.

She had wavy blonde hair and a fair complexion. Her eyes were hazel or brown or some other murky color as they widened upon hearing what Nathan had said.

"Lucas, as in Lucas Scott your ass of a half brother?"

Lucas snapped his head to look at Nathan who merely shrugged at him. "Right…well I guess I deserved that."

"Anyway, this is Lara Whittaker. She's home schooled and friends with Haley," Nathan explained before she took his order and left them.

"So what's with all the questions about Jake? Really?"

"I saw him with Peyton today," Lucas mumbled.

"And you think he's interested in her?" Nathan guessed.

"He was sitting with her at lunch and they were _laughing_."

"That's it? He was simply talking to her and suddenly you're all jealous?"

"I'm not jealous."

"Right, well I guess we'll see about that," Nathan smirked as he heard the bell above the door chime and saw who it was that walked in.

Lucas squinted at him before following Nathan's gaze. He let out a sigh before muttering that he had somewhere he needed to be, and left without a glance to the two people who had just taken a booth near the back of the cafe.

Peyton had immediately spotted him as she followed Jake in. He had his back to her and was sitting next to Nathan; something she hadn't expected. Jake forced her to look away as he motioned to sit in one of the booths and she followed. By the time she glanced back up he was gone and she wondered for a second if she had just imagined him there.

"Wow," Jake voiced nonchalantly as he perused the menu. "I don't think I've ever seen him run that fast, not even on the basketball court."

"What?" Peyton's gaze immediately fell back on him.

"He either must be taking the break up really hard or he thoroughly hates you," he continued as he turned the page.

She didn't say anything, just stared at the seat Lucas had been sitting in only a few minutes ago.

"If you were to ask me, I might just crazily say it's the former," Jake added as he closed the menu and placed it down in front of him.

She scoffed. "Him, hurt over our break up? He never cared."

"I don't know Peyton. Did you ever expect him to be sitting with Nathan here of all places? Or sitting with him at lunch?"

"No, but that doesn't change the person he was. Still is."

"And what person is that?"

"The one who cheats on his girlfriend and hooks up with some skank only a few hours after they've officially broken up," she mumbled bitterly.

"Hmm. You sound upset. You sound like you care. Like you care a lot."

Peyton was about to tell him off when Lara came over to their table.

"Peyton, Jake, what can I get you guys?"

Contrary to what Lucas had assumed, Peyton and Jake had been friends for the past year. She'd gone and talked to him after he sung at an open mic night in the cafe and they'd immediately bonded over music. After that night they started meeting up at the cafe a couple of times a week and formed a fast friendship. She never told Lucas about it mainly because she figured he wouldn't care.

He never once noticed.

They almost always sat in the same booth and because of that they'd gotten on a first name basis with Lara who was usually the one to serve them.

She took both their orders and as soon as she was gone Jake was speaking. "Nathan's a good guy, a great guy actually. And I think with Lucas being around him and exposed to all his saintly ways he might start to realize who he was and who he wasn't. He'll be sorry too."

He reached out his hand and placed it atop hers, knowing that although she would never admit it, she wanted nothing more than for him to be right.

* * *

><p>He ran a hand through his hair as he made his way down the boardwalk, no real destination in mind. He was bitter or some other emotion he couldn't quite articulate. He knew why he just didn't want to admit why.<p>

But _why_ sheand what had happened were making him feel this way, he didn't know. He could do better than her, he thought.

Maybe.

Maybe not.

He had no clue anymore.

So he walked and he walked and walked around the entire town, eventually deciding he might as well go home.

As he approached the front steps of his house and made his way through to the kitchen, he heard noises coming from the upstairs. No one was home, or at least no one was supposed to be. Whatever it was wasn't right. He figured his only option was to investigate.

So he cautiously made his way up the stairs in the same pattern he used when trying to miss all the squeaks in the boards that ascended to Peyton's bedroom. It wasn't until he reached the top that he realized what he had been doing and how foolish it was considering Dan was never one to have a house with creaking stairs.

He supposed his mind wasn't all there at the moment as he continued down the hallway towards the guest room where the noises were coming from. By the time he reached the closed door, the noises transformed into muffled moans and sighed groans. And then he heard his mother scream out his uncle's name and the bitterness that had evaded him before morphed into hot blinding rage.

He reached his hand out and prepared to bust down the door and ruin their little rendezvous, but he decided against it. They weren't worth it because in seeing his anger they'd know he cared. And he really didn't give a damn. Not anymore, not after his father's constant pushing, his alcoholism, both his parent's lies, and his new found relationship with the brother he was told he never had.

He shouldn't have to put up with their mistakes, have to live under their roof any longer. He shouldn't have to accept their half-hearted apologies and false sincerities they'd throw his way when they found out that he knew about their indiscretions.

No, he shouldn't have to deal with any of it any longer. With an unsteady breath, he retreated to his own room and packed a bag with all his things before making his way down the stairs just as cautiously as he went up them. He briefly went into his father's office and retrieved a business card from inside the top drawer of his desk.

For not a moment longer he was out the door, making sure to slam it behind him, and walking back the way he came. He could have easily taken the corvette that was rightfully his, but he wanted absolutely nothing to do with Dan or his money or his brother that owned the dealership where it had been purchased.

So he walked, but with a destination this time in mind. And he thought, he concluded that he was wrong before when he assumed he could do better than Peyton.

He couldn't.

She hadn't been unfaithful, she hadn't lied, hadn't deceived him at any point unlike his mother. She stuck by him even when he'd gone and had been unfaithful and lied and possibly deceived her more than a few times. She'd cared and she must have cared a whole damn lot to put up with all his crap for so long.

He didn't deserve her and he hadn't really deserved anyone. He had been just as power-obsessed as his father and immoral as his mother and suddenly he knew he was done with that lifestyle.

He wanted to change.

He stopped walking and pulled out the business card that he'd placed in his back pocket.

_Stevens Law Office_, it read in black embossed letters. There was a number and an address listed underneath it. He dialed the number on his phone and was speaking with his father's attorney within minutes. When the man asked him what he could do for him, he let the single word glide off his tongue like an aeroplane flying over the sea and listened to the silence that followed it.

_Emancipation._

* * *

><p>"Where'd your brother go?" Lara asked as she came out with Nathan's order.<p>

He let out a chuckle. "His ex-girlfriend came in with another guy and he was jealous."

"His ex-girlfriend, huh? Which one is she?" She asked looking around the cafe at the customers.

Nathan gazed over his shoulder and nodded Peyton's way.

"Peyton?" She questioned in a surprised voice.

"Yeah, Peyton Sawyer. You know her?"

She shook her head. "Not really, she just comes around here a lot. What does Lucas think about Jake?"

"He's like 99.9% sure Jake's after her and I'm like 99.9% sure Lucas wants her back even though he won't admit it."

She didn't say anything, just started to wipe down the counter and ponder about all the information she'd been fed.

* * *

><p><em> So things should hopefully pick up next chapter. I can't say when the next update will be, but it won't be as short. Sorry for the wait and thanks for reading!<em>


End file.
